Lacing-machine.



W. A. SMITH. LAGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. e, 1908.

Patented June 25, 1912.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Wags-ses- WW "films-99.5-

W. A. SMITH.

LAGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 8,1908- COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 00.,wAsmNGTON. D. cv

Patented June 25, 1912.

10 sums-sum 2.

W. A. SMITH.

LAOING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.8,1908.

Patented June 25, 1912.

10 SHEETS-811E311 3.

IL'lnesses:

W. A. SMITH. LAGING MACHINE.-

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.8,19OB.

Patented June 25, 1912.

10 SHEETS-SHEBT 4- l t/lhesses JrzwizzoniOLUMIIA PLANOOMPH 0-,WASHINDTON. D- C- w. A. SMITH. 'LACING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION IYILED SEPT. 8,1908.

Patented June 25, 1912.

10 SHEETSSHEET 5.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPII 00.,WA5HINQTON. n1

W. A. SMITH.

LAGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.8,1908.

Pajzented June 25, 1912.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

W. A. SMITH.

LACING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.8, 1908.

Patented June 25; 1912.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 7- I/z'iizesas- W. A. SMITH.

LAGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. s, 1908.

1,030,753. Patented June 25,1912.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 470.. WASHINGTON. D. :4

W. A. SMITH. LAGING MACHINE. APPLIOATIOK FILED SEPT. a, 1908.

Patented June 25, 1912.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

CDLUMBXA PLANOGRAPH 60., WASHINGTIJN, D. c.

W. A. $MITH. LACING MACHINE; APPLICATION TILED SEPT.8,1908.

1,080,753. Patented June 25, 1912.

10 SHEETS-SEEM 10.

6 79 lawn/ion.-

COLUMBIA PLANDuRAPl-l c0. WASHINGTON. IJ- c.

UNITED STATES PATENT ornion.

WILLARD A. SMITH, 0F MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOEMACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

LACING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLARD A. SMITH, citizen of the United States,residing at Melrose, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLacing-Wlachines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableOthers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

The invention relates to machines for lacing together the eyeletedquarters of shoe uppers preparatory to placing them on the last for thelasting and other operations in order that the edges of the lacing slitshall be held at the proper distance apart, and the upper properlyfitted to the last during the lasting operation.

The features of the invention may be embodied with special advantage inthat class of machines in which the lace inserting mechanism comprises aplurality of spindles or needles arranged to pass a series of loops oflacing cord through the eyelet holes of an upper, an example of which isshown in Patent No. 779,008, dated January 3, 1905. The broader featuresof the invention are not limited, however, to this form of machine, butmay be embodied with advantage in other forms of machines, and thespecific construction and arrangement of the various parts may be variedas may be found desirable or best suited to the form of machine in whichthe invention is embodied, and to the construction and arrangement oflace inserting devices and the devices cooperating therewith.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a shoe upper lacingmachine having its various parts so constructed and arranged that theoperations incident to the lacing together of the quarters of the uppermay be performed at a high rate of speed and in a uniformly reliable andsatisfactory manner. 1

A further object is to so construct and arrange the parts of the machinethat they may be readily and conveniently adjusted or their operationmodified to secure such manipulation or control of the lacing cord andof the work as is best suited for inserting lacing in the particularstyle or size of shoe upper whlch is to be operated upon.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. September 8, 1908.

Patented June 25, 1912.

Serial No. 452,058.

Vith these objects in view, one feature of the lnvention contemplatesthe provision 1n a machine in which a series of loops of lacing cord areformed and inserted in the eyelet holes of an upper, of means forvarying the amount of slack in the lacing independent of the loopforming and inserting devices. This means in its preferred form consistsof a slack thread device arranged to engage the lacing cord on thesupply side of the loop forming devices, and so mounted and arrangedthat it may be rendered active or inactive at the will of the operator.The presence of this slack thread device in the machine enables theamount of slack formed in the lacing to be increased beyond the amountwhich is provided for bythe adj ustment of the loop forming devices incase an unusual amount of slack is required, as, for instance, in lacingcertain styles and sizes of bluchers. The slack thread device may berendered inactive when it is desired to remove substantially all theslack in the lacing, or to leave only such an amount'of slack as may beprovided for by the adjustment of the loop forming devices.

Further features of the invention contemplate the provision in a shoeupper lacing machine of improved means for adjusting the needles of amultiple needle machine to adapt the machine to operate upon uppershaving differently spaced eyelets; the provision of improved means forvarying the length of cord taken by the looper fingers and looperneedles in forming the loops which are to be passed through theeyeletholes of the upper; the provision in a machine provided with awork holder or adjuster for properly positioning the work during thelacing operation of means for causing the adjuster to move with theupper so that strain on the looper needles, due to friction between theadjuster and upper, is avoided; the provision of means for operating thework adjuster, and the starting and stopping mechanism for the machine,whereby the work adjuster is operated to position the work before themachine is started, and is then held in position and released at theproper time without the attention of the operator ;'the provision of animproved knoting mechanism; and the provision of means for gripping theupper or the lacing between the upper and knot tying mechanism duringthe knot tying operation, whereby the knot may be tied in a uniformmanner and properly tightened.

The various features of the invention will be understood from aninspection of the accompanying drawings, in which a shoe upper lacingmachine embodying the same in their preferred forms is illustrated. Thismachine, in addition to embodying the features of invention abovereferred to, also embodies certain novel features of construction andarrangement of parts which are hereinafter described and claimed, theadvantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art from thefollowing description.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 isan end view showing the starting and stopping mechanism in the positionwhich it occupics when the machine is at rest; Fig. 3 is a similar viewshowing the position of the parts after the starting treadle has been depressed to start the machine; Fig. l is a similar view showing theposition of the parts after the work adjuster has been re turned tonormal position, the treadle remaining in its depressed position; Fig. 5is a vertical sectional view on line 2-.2, Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a verticalsectional view on line g -g Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a front elevation of theneedle and looper carrier, with the front plate removed; Fig. 8 is afront detail view showing the knotting mechanism and the parts adjacentthereto; Figs. 9 and 10 are vertical sectional detail views of theknotting mechanism; Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view showing oneform of slack thread device on the supply side of the loop formingmechanism; Figs. 12 to 15 are detail views showing the mode of operationof the device for gripping the upper during the knot tying operation;Fig. 16 is a partial end view showing a modified form of the means formoving the work adjuster with the upper; Fig. 17 is a detail plan viewof the carrier for the looper needles and looper fingers, showing oneform of means for varying the length of loops drawn by the needles andlooper fingers; Fig. 18 is a vertical sectional view of the parts shownin Fig. 17 Fig. 19 is a detail front elevation showing a modified formof slack thread device; Fig. 20 is a plan view showing a modified meansfor operating the slack thread device shown in Fig. 19; Fig. 21 is anend view of the parts shown in Fig. 19; Fig. 22 is an end view of theparts shown in Fig. 20; Fig. 23 is a detail front elevation showing theknotting devices and modified form of means for clamping the lacingduring the knot tying operation; Fig. 24: is a detail plan view of thelace gripping device shown in Fig. 23.

The machine illustrated in the drawings has the same generalconstruction and mode of operation as the machine shown in the patentabove referred to, and the construction and arrangement of the parts issubstantially the same as the construction and arrangement of the partsin the machine show and described in my prior application filed January16, 1906, Serial No. 296,388, which has matured into Patent No. 962,105,dated June 21., 1910, except where the construction and arrangement ofthe parts is modified or changed in embodying the features of thepresent invention in the machine.

The machine comprises a plurality of needles equal in number to thenumber of pairs of eyelet holes which it is desired to lace, a pluralityof looper lingers cooperating with the needles to form a series of loopsin the lacing cord, and to retain the loops in position until the shoeupper is placed on the needles, a shuttle or cord feeding needle actingto place the cord in position to be engaged by the needles and looperfingers, and to pass a portion of the cord through the loops after theyhave been inserted in the eyelet holes of the upper, a work adjuster forpositioning the work on the needles, cord clamping grippers to hold theends of the lacing, means for severing the lacing from the cord supply,and a knot tying mechanism acting to tie the ends of the lacingtogether.

The looper needles or spindles 1, of which there are five in the machineshown, are mounted in a carrier 3, and the cooperating looper fingers 2are mounted on a slide at supported on the carrier. The front end of thecarrier 3 is supported by an adjustable link 5 from one arm of a bellcrank lever 6, which is pivoted on a shaft 7 and is rocked to givevertical movements to the carrier by a cam 8 engaging a cam roll 9 onthe other arm of the lever. The rear end of the carrier is pivotallysupported upon the arms of a yoke 10 which is pivoted upon a rod 11 andis rocked to give the carrier its forward and return movements by a camacting on a roll 13 which is mounted on one of the arms of the yoke. Theweight of the carrier is supported or partially supported upon a spring1%. Movements are imparted to the slide a which carries the looperlingers to move the looper fingers longitudinally of the needles bymeans of a lever 15 which is connected with the slide by a link 16, andis provided with a roll 17 engaging a cam groove formed in the disk 18.

The looper needles 1 are secured in spin dles 19 which are mounted inblocks 20, and the blocks are mounted in guideways formed in the frontof the carrier 3, so that the blocks may be adjusted to vary the spacingof the needles. One of the blocks shown at the right in Fig. 7 issecured in fixed position, while the others 'are mounted to slidelaterally in the carrier in changing the spacing of the needles. Eachneedle carrying block is provided with two depending arms 21 betweenwhich the links 22 for con necting the blocks are located. The links 22are pivoted at their upper ends to the arms 21, and are provided withpins 23 engaging vertical slots in the lower ends of the arms. The linksare divided into two sets, and the links connecting adjacent blocks ineach set are pivoted together as at 24. A link of one of the sets isextended to form an operating lever 25, and one or more links of theother set is extended and pivotally connected as at 26 with theoperating lever. The links thus form two sets of lazy tongs connectingthe needle carrying blocks, the two sets of lazy tongs being connectedto a single operating lever which is formed by the extension of a linkof one of the laz i tongs. These needle adjusting devices aresimple inconstruction and arrangement, and enable the needle blocks to be readilyand conveniently adjusted with comparatively little tendency to crampthe blocks in their guiding bearings, and with little friction betweenthe moving parts. The parts may be secured in adjusted position by meansof a clamping thumb screw 27.

The looper fingers 2 are secured in blocks 28 which are mounted in atransverse slot formed in a plate 29 which is mounted upon the upperside of the looper carrying slide 4. The plate 29 is retained upon theupper surface of the slide by means of screws 30 which pass throughslots 31 in the plate and are provided with heads overlying the plate.In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the plate 29 which carriesthe looper fingers is connected with the slide 4 by means of a stud 32,the rear end of which is secured in a lug formed on the slide 4, and thefront end of which passes through a lug 34 on the plate and is engagedby nuts 35. By turning the nuts on the stud, the plate 29 may beadjusted to vary the length of loop formed by the looper fingers andneedles. The plate 29 may be clamped in adjusted position by tighteningscrews 30, or the screws may be adjusted so that they do not clamp theplate in position. In the latter case the nuts 35 may be adjusted sothat there is a varying amount of lost motion between the plate 29 andthe slide 4, when the slide is re ciprocated, and thus the length ofloop formed by the looper fingers may be varied without varying theposition to which the fingers are moved during the advance movement ofthe slide 4. In this case the screws 30 will engage the front ends ofthe slots 31 as the slide 4 is advanced, and will move the looperfingers forward to a definite position with relation to the ends of theneedles.

lVhen the slide 4 is retracted, the screws 30 1 gers, the cam disk rideidly in the slots 31', and the slide 4 will move rearwardly withouteffecting any movement of the plate 29 until the inner nut 35 engagesthe lug 34. The plate 29 will then be moved rearward with the slide 4 until the slide has reached its rearward position. If the nuts 35 areadjusted so that they are in engagement with the lug 34 when the screws30 are in engagement with the front ends of the slots 31, then therewill be no lost motion between the slide 4 and the plate 29, and themovements of the looper fingers will correspond to the movements of theslide 4. lVith this adjustment the longest loops will be formed. Byvarying the position of the nuts 35 on the stud 32, the amount of lostmotion between the slide 3 and the plate 29 may be varied, and thus theextent to which the plate 29 and looper fingers are retracted by therearward movement of the slide 4 may be varied to vary the length ofloops drawn by the looper lingers, the looper fingers being advanced tothe same position whatever the length of the loops drawn.

In Figs. 17 and 18 a construction is shown in which means is providedfor conveniently varying the length of the loops formed by the looperfingers and looper needles, and for enabling the operator to readilyadjust the parts for drawing any predetermined length of loop. In theconstruction shown in these views, the plate 29 in which the looperfingers are secured is connected with the looper carrying slide 4 bymeans of a link 36, the rear end of which is pivotally connected with alug 37 on the slide 4, and the front end of which is connected with theplate 29 by a manually operated adjusting device which may be readilymanipulated by the operator. As shown, the adjusting device comprises acam disk 38 provided with a cam slot 39 which is engaged by a roll 40 onthe link 36. The cam disk is mounted upon a stud 41 secured to the plate29, and is provided with a hub upon the upper end of which an operatingflange 42 is formed. The hub of the cam disk extends below the disk 39and rests upon the upper surface of the plate 29, be ing held inengagement therewith by a spring 43. The front end of the link 36 isbifurcated and passes on opposite sides of the hub of the cam disk sothat the link is guided as it is moved by the cam 39. The cam disk isretained in adjusted position by means of a locking pin 44 arranged toengageone of the series of recesses 45 formed in a segmental rib on theunder side of the disk 38. The adjustment of the cam and of the looperfingers is indicated by a finger 46 cooperating with a scale 47 formedon the cam disk 38. When itis desired to Vary the length of the loopdrawn by the looper fin- 38 is raised against the tension oi? the spring43 until the locking pin t l: is disengaged from the recess 45, and thenthe cam is turned until the pointer 4-6 is ln'ought to the position onthe scale corresponding to the length (it loop to be formed. The canidisk then allowed to return to its normal position. the locking pin 4%entering one ot the recesses l5 and locking the disk in adjustedposition.

The spindles 19 in which the looper needles are secured are rocked atproper inter- \als to bring the books of the needlesinto position toreceive the lacing cord and to thereafter turn the needles into positionto hold loops so tl at the cord carrying needle will pass through themby means of crank arms at; secured to the rear end of the spindles andprovided with pins if) engaging a slot in the transverse bar 50. The baris carried on the itorwa rd ends of two bell crank levers 51, the upperends of which extend in the path of shoulders 52 and 53 which are formedon the slide r. When the slide is advanced to bring the looper lingersin front of the hooks of the looper needles, the rear shoulders act onthe levers 51 moving the bar downward and thus turning the needles intoposition to bring the hooks upward where they may receive the lacingcord. -When. the slide -l is retracted and the looper fingers haveengaged the cord and cooperating with the needles have formed the loopsin the cord, the front shoulders 52 act upon the levers 51, raising thebar 50 and turning the needles through an angle oi 90 so that the loopsare held by the needles in position for the passage of the cord carryingneedle through the loops.

The cord carrying or shuttle needle Setis secured to the arm of a needlecarrying slide 56 which is mounted in ways 57. The slide 56 isrcciprocated by means of a cam which engages a rollv on the rear end oi?the lever 58. The front. end of the lever is provided with a gearsegment 59 arranged to engage a pinion (30 which connected with a gear61 engaging a rack on the rear of the needle slide. The lacing cordleads from the eye of the needle 5i through two guides (32 arranged onopposite sides of a lever (33, the lower end of which is arranged toengage and clamp the cord between the guides. The lever (33 is forced ina direction to clamp the cord by a spring ti l, and is operated torelieve the tension on the cord when the needle is in its retractedposition by a cam (35 arranged to engage a roll on the upper end of thelever.

The machine is provided with a. guard plate (36 arranged to underlie theshuttle needle. and adjustably secured to a vertical guard plate 67. Theguard plate is pro DU vided at its front end with an eye 68 throughwhich the lacing cord passes from the left hand looper finger to the eyeof the shuttle needle when the needle is in its retracted position.

ln order that the amountoi slack thread in the lacing may be increased,if desired, beyond the amount produced by the adjustment of the looperfingers, a slack thread device is provided which is arranged to enthecord between the loop forming devices and the thread supply. As shown inthe main views. and in detail in Fig. 11., the slack thread deviceconsists of a linger (it) projecting from a plate 70 which is held uponthe end of the guard plate tit) by a screw 71. The screw 71 passesthrough a slot 72 formed in the plate, and the plate is also providedwith a notch in its lower edge arranged to engage a pin '73 when thedevice is in active position. This slack thread device may be moved intoactive position as indicated in full lines in Fig. 11, or may be swungup into inactive position as indicated in dotted lines in said figure.hen in the position indicated in the full lines, the lacing cord will bedrawn over the finger (if) when the shuttle needle advances to pass thecord through the loops which have been passed through the eyelet holesof the upper so that slack thread will be formed in the lacing on thesupply side of the looping devices. In case itis not desired to formslack in the lacing at this point, the slack thread devices may be movedinto the inactive position indicated. by dotted lines by sliding theplate 70 upward until the notch in the lower edge of the platedisengages the pin 73, and then swinging the plate upward about thescrew 71.

In Figs. 19 and 21 another form of slack thread device for securingslack thread on the supply side of the looping devices is illustrated.As shown in these views, the slack thread device consists of a. lingeror book 74 formed. on the lower end of a lever 75 and arranged to engageand draw out a loop of slack thread between the eye of the shuttleneedle and the loop forming devices when the shuttle needle movesforward to pass the lacing cord through the loops held by the looperlingers and needles. The lever 7 5 connected by a link 76 with a block77 which is adjustably mounted in a slot 78 termed in the lower arm 79of a lever, the upper arm of which is provided with a pin 80 arr; ngedto engage a slot 81 formed in the end of the needle carrying slide 56. Acoiled spring 82 tends to move the arm 79 and thread drawing lever 7 5into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 19. When the needlecarrying slide is in its retracted position, the pin 80 lies in thevertical or tension of the slot 81, and the thread drawing finger 74- isin position above the lacing cord. as indicated in full lines in Fig.19. Vi hen the needle slide advances. the pin 80 rides into thehorizontal part of the slot 81,

ice

and then as the advance of the slide continues, the lever 79 and threaddrawing lever 75 are swung into the position inclicated in dotted linesin Fig. 19, thus drawing off a loop of slack thread. When the needlecarrying slide is returned to its retracted position, the pin 80 willenter the slot 81, and the parts will be returnedto the full lineposition as the slide reaches its retracted position. The amount ofslack thread drawn ofl' by the finger 74 will depend upon the adjustmentof the block 7 7 in the slot 78. In case it is not desired to draw offany slack thread, the finger 7-1 is rendered inactive by adjusting theblock 77 so that the pivotal connection between the link 7 6 and theblock is in line with the axis of the arm 79.

In Figs. 20 and 28 a modified form of means for operating the threaddrawing lever 75 is illustrated. As shown in these views, the arm 79 inwhich the slot 78 is formed is secured to the front end of a shaft 83,the rear end of which is provided with an arm 84 connected by means of alink 85 with a. boss 86 which projects downward from the segment lever58.

After the upper has been placed on the looper needles, and the loopscarried by the needles have thus been passed through the eyelet holes ofthe upper, the carrier for the looper needles and looper fingers ismoved upward to bring the loops carried by the needles into line withthe shuttle needle so that the needle on its forward stroke will carrythe cord through the loops. In order that the upper may be properlypositioned upon the needle, and may be held in position thereon out ofthe path of the shuttle needle, a work adjusting and holding device isprovided. In the construction shown, this work adjuster comprises alaterally projecting plate 87 secured to the lower end of an arm 88, theupper end of which is pivotally supported in the front ends of the armsof a yoke 89. Springs 90 engage the arm SSand the arms of the yoke 89,and tend to swing the arm 88 outward into the position indicated in Fig.6. The yoke 89 is pivotally mounted upon a shaft 91 and is provided witha depending arm 92, the lower end of which is arranged to be engaged bya collar 93 on a rod 94. The front end of the rod 94 extends through aslot 95 in the arm 88 Fig. l, and is provided with a collar 96 engagingthe outer surface of the arm. The rear end of the rod 94% is connectedto the upper end of an arm 97, the lower end of which is secured to arock shaft 98. When the rock shaft 98 is operated to swing the arm 97from the position indicated in Figs. 4 and 6 to the position indicatedin Fig. 8, the work adjuster is swung downward and rearward to bring theplate 87 against the upper which has been placed upon the looper needlesby the operator, and position the upper back upon the needle so that itlies back of the path of the shuttle needle. When the rock shaft 98 isoperated to move the arm 97 forward from the position indicated in Fig.3 to the position indicated in Figs. 4 and 6, the work adjuster is swungaway from the upper by the springs 90, and is raised into its upperposition by the engagement of the collar 93 with the arm 92.

The construction and operation of the work adjuster as thus fardescribed is substantially the same as the construction and operation ofthe work adjuster shown and described in my prior application No.296,388, filed January 16, 1906. In the construction shown and describedin said application, the work adjuster remains in fixed position againstthe upper as the looper needles move up into position to bring the loopsinto the path of the shuttle needle, and during this upward movement ofthe looper needles the work adjuster causes a frictional drag upon theupper, tending to bend the needles downward and to preventthe properpositioning of the loops with relation to the shuttle needle. This objectionable action of the work adjuster is avoided in accordance with onefeature of the present invention by providing means for causing the workadjuster to move with the upper as the looper needles move upward. Thespecific form of the means for causing the work adjuster to move withthe upper is not material to this feature of the invention in itsbroader aspects, and any suitable means may be employed for this purposewithout departing from the invention.

In the construction shown in the main views of the drawings, the meansfor causing the work adjuster to move upward with the upper consists ofa plate 99 arranged above the upper engaging plate 87, so that thelooper needles will lie between the plates 99 and 87 when the workadjuster is in work holding position, as indicated in Fig. 8. lVhen thelooper needle carrier moves upward to bring the loops carried by theneedles and looper fingers into position for the passage of the shuttleneedle, the work adjuster is carried upward with the looper needles bythe engagement of the looper needles with the plate 99, so that the workadjuster does not put any frictional drag upon the upper. These platesas they pass on opposite sides of the needles also bring the needlesinto alinement in the same plane.

In Fig. 16 a modified form of means for causing the work adjuster tomove with the upper is shown. In the construction shown in this view,the plate 88 of the work adjuster is provided on its inner side with alug 100. This lug is arranged to be engaged by a bar 101 which issecured to the H carrier for the looper and looper fingers, and isarranged to underlie the lug 100 when the work adjuster is in workengaging position. hen the looper carrier is moved upward to bring theloops into position for the passage of the shuttle needle, the bar 101by its engagement with the lug 100 causes the Work adjuster to moveupward with the needles without putting any strain upon the needles.

The work adjuster is operated to engage the upper and position it uponthe looper needles through the movement of an operating rod which alsoactuates the stop mech anism to start the machine after the upper hasbeen positioned. In order that the work adjuster may be retained inposition to properly hold the work upon the looper needles until theshuttle needle has been re tracted after passing the lacing cord throughthe loops held by the looper needles, and may then be disengaged fromthe upper to allow the upper to be removed from the needles, means isprovided for retaining the work adjuster in work engaging position, andfor automatically disengaging the work adjuster from the work at theproper time. The preferred form of this means is illustrated in Figs. 2,3 and 4. As shown in these views, an arm 102 .is secured to the end ofthe rock shaft 98 through which the work adjuster is operated, and thisarm is pro vided at its outer end with a lug or shoulder 103 arranged tobe engaged by a shoulder 10% on the operating rod 105. The 0perating rodmay be connected with a treadle or other suitable actuating device (notshown). When the actuating rod 105 is drawn down by the depressing ofthe treadle, the arm 102 is depressed to rock the shaft 98 and thus movethe work adjuster into engagement with the upper, as indicated in Fig.8. This movementot the actuator rod brings a pin 100 which projects fromthe rod into position to be engaged by a spring pressed latching pawl107, so that the actuator rod and the connected work adjuster areretained in the position indicated in Fig. 3. hen the actuator rod 105is depressed, the final downward movement of the rod causes the stoplever 108 to be disengaged from the arm 109 of the clutch mechanismwhich is arranged within the casing 110, and through which the machineis driven. The means for thus operating the stop lever comprises a rod111 extending downward from the arm 102 and passing through the arm 112of the stop lever. The rod 111 is provided at its lower end with acollar 113 which underlies the arm 11.2, and is also provided with acollar 1141 arranged above the arm 112. The collar 114 is so arrangedthat the rod 111 moves idly through the arm 112 until the work adjusterhas been moved into engagement with the upper, and then during thecontinued downward movement of the rod 111, the collar 114 engages thearm 112 and disengages the stop lever from the arm 109 of the clutchmechanism. \Vhen the stop lever has been moved into the positionindicated in Fig. 3, the clutch mechanism is engaged to drive themachine, and the casing 110 rotates with the cam shaft of the machine.After the cam shaft has made a partial revolution, and the shuttleneedle has advanced to carry the lacing cord through the loops held bythe looper needles, and has nearly reached its retracted position, a cam115 rides against a plate 116 on the actuator rod 105 and moves said rodlaterally, so that the shoulder 104 disengages the lug 103 on the end ofthe arm 102, and so that the pin 106 is moved from engagement with thelatch 107. Immediately after the arm 102 has been thus disengaged fromthe actuator bar 105, a cam pin 117 strikes against one arm of a bellcrank lever 118, the other arm of which is connected with the collar 111 by a pin and slot connection (Fig. 3). As the pin 117 travels past thearm of the bell crank lever 118, it swings the bell crank lever aboutits pivot, and raises the rod 111 and arm 102 into the positionindicated in F 1. This movement of the arm 102 and rod 111 rocks theshaft 98 to return the work adjuster to normal position, and swings thestop lever 108 into position to engage the arm 109 of the clutchmechanism after the cam shaft of the machine has completed itsrevolution. The parts are supported in this position after the pin 117has passed by the arm of the bell. crank lever 118 by a latching pawl119 which is pivoted on the collar 114: and ena fixed pin 120. It hasbeen assumed in the description thus far that the operator keeps hisfoot on the treadle, and thus holds the actuator rod 105 in itsdepressed posi tion against the tension of the spring 121, as indicatedin Fig. 4. hen the operator removes his foot from the treadle, thespring 121 returns the actuator rod 105 to the position indicated inFig. 2, and as the rod comes into this position a pin 122 on the rodengages the tail of the pawl 119 and swings it into the positionindicated in Fig. The weight of the parts connected with the arm 102 aresupported by the engagement of the arm 102 with the plate 110 on theactuator bar 105. \Vhen the rod 105 is again depressed to actuate thework adjuster and start the machine, the pawl 119 moves down past thepin 120 into the position indicated in Fig. 3. If the operator shouldremove his foot from the treadle immediately after it has beendepressed, the work adjuster would be retained in position to engage thework by the engagement of the pawl 107 with the pm 106, and when the cam115 moves the actuator bar laterally to disengage the shoulder 104 fromthe lug 103, and to disengage the pin 106 from the latch 107, the spring121 will immediately raise the actuator bar and return the parts to theposition indicated in Fig. 2. If the operator keeps his foot upon thetreadle, then the work adjuster and stop lever will be automaticallyactuated to return the work adjuster to normal position, and to bringthe stop lever into stopping position by the pin 117 and bell cranklever 118, in the manner above described.

The grippers 123 and 124 for grasping the ends of the lacing are mountedat the right of the loop forming devices, and cooperate with a plate 125in gripping the cord. The grippers are in the form of fingers whichproject forward from the lower ends of two sliding bars 126 and 127, andthese bars are moved at proper inter vals through levers 128 and 129.The rear ends of the levers 128 and 129 are arranged to be engaged andoperated at proper intervals by cam blocks carried on the front end of alever 130, the rear end of which carries a roll arranged to be engagedby a cam on the main cam shaft of the machine. The gripper 123 isarranged and operated to grip the free end of the cord when the shuttleneedle advances, so that on the return stroke of the needle the cord isfed into position to be engaged by the hooks of the looper needles. Thegripper 124 is arranged and operated to grip the lacing cord carried bythe shuttle needle after the needle has passed through the loops carriedby the looper needles. After the cord has been gripped, and the shuttleneedle has started on its return stroke, the cord leading from thegripper to the eye of the needle draws over a knife edge 131 formed onthe rear upper edge of the gripper 124, and after the needle hasreturned a sufficient distance to provide a free end of threadprojecting through the eye of the needle, a tension is put upon the cordso that it is severed by the knife edge. The means for putting thetension upon the cord so that it may be severed by the knife edgecomprises a cam plate 132 which is moved into the path of a roll uponthe upper end. of the thread engaging lever 63 during the return strokeof the shuttle needle. The cam plate is carried upon the front ends ofarms 133 which are pivoted to lugs on the frame of the machine, and oneof which is extended beyond the pivotal point, and connected by a link134 with the end of a lever 135. The lever 135 carries a roll 136 whichengages a cam secured to the cam shaft of the machine.

During the return stroke of the shuttle needle after it has given thefree end of the cord to the gripper 123, and is laying the cord inposition to be engaged by the hooks of the looper needles, the cordbetween the gripper and the loop forming devices is acted upon by athread arm 137 which is arranged in front of the cord, and at this timeis moved rearward to draw slack cord from the cord supply. When thelooper fingers and looper needles are operated to form the loops in thecord, this thread arm again moves forward to give up its slack cord, sothat the cord is supplied from both sides of the loo-p forming devices.This thread arm is also operated during the knot tying operation to laythe lacing cord into the jaws of the knotting mechanism, as will be morefully described in connection with the description of the knottingmechanism. The thread arm is formed on the front end of a bar 138, therear end of which is connected by a link 139 with one arm of a lever140, the other arm of which carries a roll engaged by a cam on the camshaft of the machine (Fig.

The knotting mechanism for tying together the ends of the lacing cord isarranged between the thread arm 137 and the loop forming devices. Theknotting mechanism is provided with a looping post formed by the lowerends of two semi-cylindrical members 141 and 142. These members aremounted in a sleeve 143, and are provided at their lower extremitieswith operating jaws for gripping the cord. During the tying of the knotthe members arerotated to form a loop about their lower ends, and arealso moved longitudinally togrip the cord between the jaws and draw itthrough the loop. The sleeve 143 is rotated to impart rotary movementsto the members 141 and 142 through a pinion 144 which is engaged by asegmental gear 145. This gear is formed on the front end of a lever 146,the rear end of which carries a roll which is acted upon by a camsecured to the cam shaft of the machine. The members 141 and 142 areconnected to the sleeve 143 by means of a bar 147 extending through aslot formed in the adjacent faces of the members, so that the memberswill rotate with the sleeve while being free to 'move longitudinallytherein. Longitudinal movements are imparted to the members by means oflevers 148 and 149, the forward ends of which are connected to themembers, and the rear ends of which are engaged by cams secured upon thecam shaft of the machine.

The looping post formed by the lower ends of the members 141 and 142 isprovided with a cord retaining latch 150 formed on the lower end of alever which is pivoted at 151 in the recess formed on the inner face ofthe member 141. The latch is so formed that it underlies the cord andretains the cord upon the post during the formation of the loop aboutthe post. The latch lever is provided with a projecting arm, 152 at itsupper end which is arranged to engage one or the other of two stopshoulders 153 and 15 i, and swing the latch into or out of cord engagingposition.

The knott-ing mechanism normally stands in the position indicated in thedrawings. ll ith the knotting mechanism in this position, the ends ofthe lacing cord pass from the griopcrs 123 and 12% across the front ofthe looping post and over the latch 150. iron the lace has been insertedin the eyelet holes of the upper, and the upper has been removed fromthe looper lingers, it is suspended by the ends of the lacing cord whichpass over the latch 150 and are held by the grippers 123 and 12st. Theknotting mechanism is then operated to tie together the ends of thelacing. During the rotation of the members 141 and 142, the latch 150supports the lacing cord on the looping post at the lower ends of themembers, and carries the cord around the post so that a loop is formed.i is the members complete their rotation, the thread arm 13? is movedrearward to carry the ends of the lacing between the jaws of theknotting mechanism, and these jaws are closed and the members moveupward. As the members move upward, the arm 152 of the latch lever ridesagainst the under side of the shoulder 154k, so that the latch iswithdrawn to release the loop, as indicated in Fig. 10. As the upwardmovement of the knotter jaws continues, the loop is cast off the ends oithe jaws, and the lacing carried by the jaws is drawn through the loop.

ln order that the knot may be uniformly tightened, means is provided forgripping the lacing or upper below the knotting mechanism, and in orderthat the knot may be tied close to the upper, this gripping mechanism isso constructed that it grips the lacing close to the end of the loopingpost. As shown in the main views of the dra wings, the means forgripping the lacing cord to etl'ect the uniiliorm tightening of the knotcomprises two gripping jaws 155 and 156 arranged below the knot formingmechanism. These jaws are formed upon the ends of two levers 157 and158, which are pivoted at 159 to the under side of the plate 160 securedto the gripper plate 125. The normal position ot' the gripper jaws isindicated in Fig. 12. The jaw 156 is held in this position by means ofspring 160 which torces the lever 157 against a stop lug 31. The end ofthe lever 157 is provided at its free end with a vertical guard flange102 over which the lacing cord is drawn in ilorming the loops, asindicated in Fig. 8. The lever 158 on which the jaw 156 is formed isconnected by means of a link 163 with the front end of a sliding bar16st, the rear end of which is connected by a link 165 with one arm of abell crank lever 166, the other arm of which carries a roll engaged by acam secured to the cam shaft of the machine (Fig. 5). When the lacedupper is forced oit the looper needles, the ends of the lacing cordleading from the grippers 123 and 124; over the latch 150 of theknotting mechanism pass down between the gripper aws 155 and 156. Thelever 158 is provided with a rearwardly projecting ii n ger 167 whichdetermines the position of the lacing cord between the gripping jaws.litter the ends of the lacing cord have been looped about the loopingpost of the knot ting mechanism, and the ends of the cord have beengripped by the jaws of the knotting mechanism, the bar lot is actuatedto swing the jaw 156 toward the jaw 155 into the position indicated inFig. 3, so that the lacing cords are gripped by the jaws 155 and 156immediately below the knot forming mechanism. As the jaws of theknotting mechanism draw the ends of the lacing cord through the loop ofthe knot, the rear ward movement of the bar 16% continues, and thegripping aws are swung into the position indicated in Fig. 4:. Thismovement of the gripping jaws draws upon the lacing below the knot, sothat the knot is tightened. As the jaws come into the position indicatedin Fig. 141:, .1 lug 168 on the rear part of the lever 157 is engaged bythe shoulder 169 of a spring latch 1'70. litter the knot has been thustightened, the bar 164 is moved for ward, and during the first movementof the bar the lever 158 is moved into the position indicated in Fig. 15to open the jaws and release the lacing, the lever 157 being held fromforward movement by the latch 170. lhnfing the continued forwardmovement of the bar an, a pin 171 which projects from the lower face ofthe lever 15S strikes the free end oi the latch 170 and operates thelatch to release the lever 15? so that the lever returns to the normalposition shown in. Fig. 12, while the lever 158 is moved into theposition shown in the same figure. The parts are now in position toagain receive the lacing cords and cooperate with the knotting mechanismin tightening the knot.

in F and 2% another form of means t'or securing a uniform tightening ofthe knot is illustrated. In the construction shown in these views a workguard 172 ci\ tends down in trout of the upper when it is in positionupon the looper needles, and the ends of the lacing lead "from thegrippers and 124: across the front of this work guard. The guard isprovided with a lat.- eral extension 173. which extends below theknotting mechanism and in such position that the lacing cords pass downacross its front face when the upper is suspended by the ends of thelacing. A spring pressed clamping lever 17st is mount-ed upon the end ofthe lateral extension 173, and is forced toward the extension 173 by acoiled spring 175. The clamping lever is provided with an upwardlyextending finger 176 arranged to be engaged by an arm 177 which isformed on the outer end or a bar 17 8 corresponding in location to thebar 164, previously described, and connected to an operating cam in asimilar manner. The clamping lever 1'74. is normally heldaway from theextension 173 by an arm 177. As the knot is completed, the arm 1'77 iswithdrawn from engagement with the clamping lever 174k, so that thelever acts to clamp the lacing cord against the extension 173 of thework guard. While the cord is thus clamped, the jaws of the knottingmechanism act to complete the knot and to cooperate with the clamp intightening the knot.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention, andspecifically described certain mechanisms in which the invention may beembodied, what I claim is l. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having,in combination, means for passing a series of loops of lacing cordthrough the eyelet holes of an upper means for passing a portion of thecord through the loops, and a slack thread device arranged to engage thecord between the loop passing means and the means for passing a cordthrough the loops and to draw slack thread during the passage of thecord through the loops, substantially as described.

2. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, a pluralityof needles, looper fingers cooperating therewith to form a series ofloops in the lacing cord, a shuttle needle for carrying the lacing cordthrough the loops, a thread finger arranged to engage the cord betweenthe loop forming devices and the shuttle needle and to draw slack threadas the shuttle needle advances, sub stantially as described.

3. A machine "for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, means forpassing a series of loops of lacing cord through the eyelet holes of anupper, means for passing a portion of the cord through the loops, and aslack thread device arranged between the loop passing means and themeans for passing the cord through the loops and in engagement withwhich the cord is drawn by the advance of the means for passing the cordthrough the loops, substantially as described.

et. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, hav ing, in combination, aplurality of needles, looper fingers cooperating therewith to form aseries of loops in the lacing cord, a shuttle needle for carrying thelacing cord through the loops, and a slack thread finger arranged to beengaged by the cord by the advance of the shuttle needle, substantiallyas described.

A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, a plurality ofneedles, looper fingers cooperating therewith to form a series of loopsin the lacing cord, a shuttle needle -for carrying the lacing cordthrough the loops, and a slack thread finger having provision foradjustment into position in front of the cord between the loop formingdevices and the shuttle needle, or into position where it will notengage the cord, substantially as described.

6. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, ha"- ing, in combination, means forpassing a series of loops of lacing cord through the eyelet holes of anupper, means for passing a portion of the cord through the loops, aplate provided with a slack thread finger, and provision for retainingsaid plate with the finger in position to engage the cord between theloops and the means for passing the cord through the loops, or inposition not to engage the cord, substantially as described.

7. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, a pluralityof needles arranged to pass a series of loops of lacing cord through theeyelet holes of an upper, links connecting the needles to form two setsof lazy tongs for adjusting the needles in accordance with the spacingof the eyelets, and an operating lever to which both sets of lazy tongsare connected, substantially as described.

8. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, a pluralityof needles arranged to pass a series of loops of lacing cord through theeyelet holes of an upper, links connecting the needles to form two setsof lazy tongs, an operating lever formed by the extension of a link 01"one of the lazy tongs, and a pivoted connection between the lever andone or more links of the lazy tongs, substantially as described.

9. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, a pluralityof needles, means cooperating therewith to form a series of loops in thelacing cord, means for adjusting the length of the loops, and means forindicating the adjustment for different lengths of loops, substantiallyas described.

10. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, aplurality of needles, means cooperating therewith to form a series ofloops in the lacing cord, actuating mechanism for relatively actuatingthe needles and cooperating loop form ing means, including a manuallyadjustable device and means for varying the length of the loops, andmeans for indicating the ad justment for different lengths of loops, sulstantially as described.

11. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, aplurality of needles,

a plurality of looper fingers cooperating the work adjuster to engagethe work and therewith to term a series of loops in the lacing cord,actuating mechanism for relatively actuating the looper fingers andneedlxs including a manually-adjustable (evice and connections forvarying the length of the loops, and means for indicating the adjustmentof the device corresponding to the dittorent lengths of loops,suliistantially as described.

1L. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, aplurality 0t needles, a plurality ot loopcr lingers cooperatingtherewith to form a series ol loops in the lacing cord, a carrier forthe looper fingers, actuating mechanisi'l'i tor the carrier, a manuallyadjustable device on the carrier, and a link connecting the device withthe actuat ing mechanism to vary the relation ot the carrier andactuating mechanism in accord ance with the length of the loops to beformed, substantially as described.

13. Br machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, aplurality of needles, a j' ilurality of looper fingers cooperatingtherewith to form a series of loops in the lacing cord, a carrier forthe looper fingers, actuating mechanism for the carrier, and a manuallyadjustable cam and connections for varying the relation of the carrierto the actuating mechanism, in accordance with the length of loops to beformed, substantially as described.

let. Amachine for lacing shoe uppers,having, in combination, a pluralityo't needles, means cooperating therewith to form a series of loops oilacing cord, means for passing a locking cord through uaid loops, a workadjuster for positioning the work on the needles prior to the passage ofthe locking cord through the loops, and means for causing the workadjuster to move with the needles in bringing the loops into positionfor the passage of the locking cord therethrough, substantially asdescribed.

15. A. machine for lacing shoe uppers, hav ing, in COD'llJlIlfltlOll,plurality o:t needles, means cooperating therewith to term a series oiloops of lacing cord, means for passing a locking cord through saidloops, means for movin the needles from the upper receiving positioninto position for the passage of the locking cord through the loops, awork adjuster, means for moving said adjuster longitudinally of theneedles to position the work thereon, and means for causing the workadjuster to more with the needles as they bring the loops into positionto receive the locking cord, substantially as described.

16. A machine for lacing shoe uppers,ha ing, in combination, a pluralityof needles, means cooperating therewith to form a series oit loops inthe lacing cord, means for passing alocking cord through said loops,awork adjuster, means for longitudinally operating position it upon theneedles, and means for retaining the work adjuster in position and forautomatically disengaging it from the work, substantially as described.

17. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, aplurality of needles, means cooperating therewith to term a series ofloops of lacing cord, a work adjuster for positioning the work upon theneedles, an actuator rod and connections for actuating the work adjusterto engage the work, means for retaining the work adjuster in workengaging position, mechanism ter automatically operating said retainingmeans to release the work adjuster, and means for automaticallyactuating the work adjuster to disengage the work, substantially asdescribed.

18. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in conibination, aplurality of needles, means cooperating therewith to form a series ofloops in the lacing cord, a work adjuster for positioning the work uponthe needles, an actuator rod and connections for actuat ing the workadjuster to engage the work, means for retaining the work adjuster inwork engaging position, and means for automatically disengaging theretaining means to allow the work adjuster to be disengaged from thework, substantially as described.

19. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, aplurality of needles, means cooperating therewith to form a. series ofloops in the lacing cord, a work adjuster for positioning the work onthe needles, an actuator rod and connections for actuating the workadjuster to engage the work, a retaining device for retaining theactuator rod in the position into which it is moved in actuating thework adjuster, and means for automatically disengaging the retainingdevice and actuator rod, substantially described.

20. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, mechanism,for inserting a lacing cord in the eyelet holes of an upper, a knottying mechanism arranged to act on the lacing, a gripper arranged togrip the lacing on the work side of the knot, and mechanism foroperating the gripper to tighten the knot, substantially as described.

21. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, mechanismfor inserting a lacing cord in the eyelet holes of an upper, a knottying mechanism arranged to act upon the lacing, and means for grippingand pulling the lacing on opposite sides of the knot to tighten theknot, substantially as described.

22. A machine for lacing shoe uppers, having, in combination, means forpassing a series 01" loops of lacing cord through the eyelet holes of anupper to partially form the lacing, means for passing a portion of

